Rachel Maddow/Ms. Information
Maddow's Ms. Information segment, where he (she?) documents "holy mackerel" news stories she (he?) believes other medias are not reporting on. =2008= September September 8, 2008 * repeal post-9/11 building codes * McCain panders his views about Fannie and Freddie * Palin ignorant about Fannie and Freddie * Dems won't take up SCHIP September 9, 2008 * the U.S. has done little to reduce the threats of terrorism * North Korean dictator, Kim Jong Il did not attend nation-wide celebration * Ted Stevens has received more gifts than was previously reported September 10, 2008 * OPEC oil ministers cut oil production * Interior Dept. sex and drugs scandal September 15, 2008 * Texas is not getting emergency supplies after Hurricane Ike * Google may go offshore with water-based data centers September 16, 2008 * Pakistani troops have been ordered to shoot on U.S. troops if they cross a border * The (GOP) White House is fighting 17 U.S. Gulf War P.O.W.s whose lawsuit against Iraq for torture and kidnapping was allowed by the House (HR 5167) September 17, 2008 * Zimbabwe's inflation is the highest in the world at 11 million percent. Their treasury replaced the 10 trillion dollar bank note with a one thousand dollar note, which can only buy a loaf of bread. * McCain picked up 6% of the GOP base from his VP pick, Palin. He hasn't picked up a significant amount from independents. September 18, 2008 * Houston is still suffering from the effects of Hurricane Ike * new I-35 bridge has been rebuilt early and under budget September 19, 2008 * 2 highest ranking officials in the Interior Department will not be charged by the Justice Department for any involvement in the Oily, Sexy Royalty Scandal * Obama did an interview with an Elko, Nevada television station and had to fight off flies September 22, 2008 * truck bomb that destroyed the Mariott Hotel in Islamabad contained an excellerant, aluminum powder * a caravan transporting the Afghanistan's ambassador to Pakistan was ambushed * Georgia is set to execute a man, Troy Davis, 7 of 9 witnesses recanted their testimony * Millions in Texas are still without power and there is a gas shortage in South September 23, 2008 * new non-explosive fertilizer has been developed * Troy Davis' execution was given a temporary stay * GOP candidate in Florida apologizes for golfing with Jack Abramoff September 24, 2008 * The Bush Administration is refusing to declassify a "grim" Afghanistan NIE report until after the election * Louisiana state representative John LaBruzzo (R-Metairie) suggested that poor women should be paid to accept sterilization in order to fight poverty * McCain voted against legislation that paved the way for Blackberry September 25, 2008 * Dino Rossi, a candidate running in Washington avoids the word "Republican", using instead "GOP Party" next to his name on the ballot September 29, 2008 * U.S. warships surround ship hijacked by Somali pirates * Special prosecutor to investigate 2006 firings of 9 U.S. Attorneys * No opposition politician wins a seat in the recent Belarus election September 30, 2008 * Ex-CIA exec Dusty Foggo pleads guilty in corruption case * Afghan President seeks Saudi help for peace negotiations with Taliban October October 01, 2008 * while trying to show he understands the troubles regular Americans are feeling during this financial crisis, his 13-bedroom Arizona mansion is up for sale * Pentagon has ordered more troops to be deployed Iraq in 2009 October 3, 2008 * Pat Robertson predicts war, nuclear strikes on U.S. cities * Governor Palin names Civil War general as commander in Afghanistan, when lyhing about what he said regarding the use of U.S. troops there October 6, 2008 * Four million new voters registered in past year, majority are Democratic * New U.S. Army doctrine: nation building more important than conventional war ** releasing an updated "Army Stability Operations Manual" * cities running short of road salt before winter even begins October 8, 2008 * two men climbed New York Times building, only one charged with crime * New intelligence report warns of potential violence in Iraq October 9, 2008 * NSA listening to American's calls, saving phone sex audio clips, sharing them * Cook County, Illinois sheriff Tom Dart stops enforcing evictions, risks violating court orders October 13, 2008 * Taliban fighters attack Afghan provincial capital, 62 dead * Wolfowitrz-led group says U.S. should increase nuclear arsenal ** international Security Advisor Board October 14, 2008 * Lawyers criticize "incompetent" translators at Gitmo * UN deadline approaches for American forces to remain in Iraq, U.S. seeks "Plan B" October 17, 2008 * McCain said he would not make any signing statements; President Bush authorized two more * Iran attempted to break a Guinness World Record for longest sandwich October 20, 2008 * 2,000 days since Bush's "Mission Accomplished" speech ** local Iraqi politicians refuse to sign an agreement that would allow U.S. troops to stay October 21, 2008 * Bachmann got Tinklenberged! * Palin is unaware of the Constitutionally-defined duties of the vice president ** claiming that the VP is "in charge of the Senate" October 22, 2008 * Feds bust "Mongols" motorcycle gang, targeting their trademarked logo * Markets continue to plunge, layoffs keep growing * stock for McDonald's and Tupperware rose October 23, 2008 * 98% of eligible voters in Michigan registered to vote * Florida GOP blamed for long early voting lines * Pakistani government arming tribal militias with AK-47s October 24, 2008 * Bachmann releases new non-apology commercial, hoping to overcome getting Tinklenberged * a second portrait of Donald Rumsfeld has been commissioned, costing $46,790 October 27, 2008 * Intel community fears terrorists' use of twitter and new mobile technology * U.S. Forces strike inside Syria, kill top Al Qaeda target October 28, 2008 * employees at a call center walked off the job for a day when asked to read an anti-Obama script that claimed Obama was against protecting children from danger * robocalls for CA first district Zane Starkewolf GOP candidate was performed by a young female staffer mimicking a phone sex line October 29, 2008 * Bush Doctrine's expanded definition of "self-defense" ** strikes in sovereign nations without consent * Florida governor Charlie Crist extends early voting hours, citing long lines as the reason October 30, 2008 * Ashley B Todd is now out of jail ** will receive mental health treatment * slow Pakistan government response to quake could add tension ** hard-line Islamic groups, at least one on the U.S. terrorism list is among the groups providing assistance * heavy metal has returned to Iraq ** Brutal Impact ** Dog-faced Corpse October 31, 2008 * Tempelhof, the Berlin airport, site of 1948-1949 airlift landings closes * Bush Administration's last minute push for deregulation, x90 November November 3, 2008 * U.S. auto sales dropped to the lowest level in 25 years * Evergreen Defense & Security Services offers to do security work in all Oregon polling places, despite the state being the only state that is vote by mail. November 5, 2008 * History made: convicted felon Alaska Senator Stevens leading vote * Nate Silver of FiveThirtyEight.com, Pew and the Rasmussen poll predictions were closest to the actual win percentage nationally and TIME magazine's Mark Halperin guessed the electoral college exactly * From a limited list of issues, Rachel offers Americans the chance to choose a to-do list for an Obama Administration http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/27562795 November 6, 2008 * Bhutan crowns world's youngest monarch to lead young democracy * Federal Reserve hired failed bank "risk expert" to advice on banks * to-do list suggestions for Obama Administration http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/27562795 November 7, 2008 * The government of the Netherlands has commissioned the world's largest boat to be built. The shipping magnate who won the contract wants to name the boat after his father and former member of the Nazi Waffen SS http://news.scotsman.com/world/Outcry-in-Netherlands-over-Nazi.4674302.jp * to-do list suggestions for Obama Administration http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/27562795 November 10, 2008 * protest against Prop Hate gains momentum across the nation * Marilyn Musgrave has not conceded to the winner of the election for her former Congressional seat, Betsy Markey November 11, 2008 * BBC uncovers mystery of lost nuke under ice in Greenland 40 years ago * TV actor to have sculpture on display at Le Louvre November 12, 2008 * Corrections ** Lieberman always said he would run as an independent if he lost the primary to Ned Lamont ** mispronounced the name of the U.S. military base, Thule * Saudi Arabia presided over UN religious tolerance conference, where ** King Abdullah will sit in the same dining room with Israeli president, Shimon Pereshttp://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2008/11/05/news/ML-Israel-Saudi.php November 13, 2008 * violence continues in Middle East **US Convoy attacked in Afghanistan killing 1 US Soldier, 18 civilians ** Suicide bomb attack Afghanistan government ** Iranian diplomat kidnapped ** US aid worker Stephen Vance assassinated in Pakistan * After Obama's election, Iranians may not want to negotiate without preconditions November 14, 2008 * FCC Chair Martin spent government money to promote the analog-digital change * Senators call for Lieberman to lose chairmanship November 18, 2008 * Suburban Chicago car dealer buy one car, get the 2nd one for $1 * US adds 7 countries to visa waiver program to ease travel restrictions November 19, 2008 * Indian Navy fights Somali pirates, destroys "Mother Ship" * Golfer's honesty costs him full-time spot on 2009 PGA Tour November 20, 2008 * Experts say Iran has enough nuclear materials to make one atom bomb * Beau Biden departs for Iraq with the JAG corps, will not seek his father's Senate seat November 21, 2008 * Fred Thompson drops bid for RNC, plans return to acting * Bob Jones University issues apology for past racist policies * New map reveals old meanings of names on atlas November 24, 2008 * some 2008 elections still not decided: ** GA GOP fails to sign absentee ballot requests, thousands invalid ** FiveThirtyEight.com predicts win for Franken by 27 votes * Colorado Farm offers harvest leftovers for free (gleaning), draws 40,000 * FSU football player Myron Rolle wins Rhodes scholarship, returns to game November 25, 2008 * President Hamid Karzai calls for a timeline for ending the war against Taliban in Afghanistan * Turkeys sent to Washington, D.C. for pardon are pampered, others become sandwich meat November 26, 2008 * Iraq Parliament to vote on U.S. forces agreement on Thanksgiving ** the Bush Administration is not releasing an English-translation of the deal, prior to its passage * Man arrested after trying to sell Hitler's stolen gold bookmark December December 1, 2008 * Bush awarded P.E.A.C.E. Medal by Rick Warren; Obama urges domestic AIDS relief at forum * AIDS activists upset with possible Obama "Drug Czar" pick December 2, 2008 * months after Hurricane Ike, 30 miles of trash still rots along Texas coast * outburst in Iraqi courtroom as Saddam's Baathist leaders sentenced to death December 3, 2008 * one of the top suggestions on Maddow's online to-do list for Obama: fix college football ** Representative Neil Abercrombie (D-HA) claims a restraint of trade violating the Sherman Anti-trust Act * atheists sue Kentucky Homeland Security office to take God out of law December 4, 2008 * retired military officers speak out; meet with Obama regarding interrogation * new poll on Prop Hate vote influenced by religion and education December 5, 2008 * senators John McCain, Lindsey Graham and Joe Lieberman visit Bhutan and its new king * Obama officials reading comments on change.gov December 8, 2008 * Louisiana voters oust scandal-plagued Representative William Jefferson to the first Vietnamese-American to hold any seat in U.S. Congress, Joseph Cao * one member of the Sudanese government is not looking forward to the Obama administration, saying: :"...we will miss the judgments of George W. Bush." December 9, 2008 * Bank of America offers loan to help resolve worker sit-in protest December 10, 2008 * investors buy U.S Treasury Bills at zero percent rate of return on four-week bills ** secondary market of trades of three-month T-Bills went for -.01% * Atomic clocks will need to add one second at exactly 6:59:60 p.m. December 31, 2008 ** 1/3 of all atomic clocks are kept at the Naval Observatory (home of the Vice President) December 11, 2008 * Chicago workers end protest after getting severance pay and benefits ** Bank of America and JP Morgan-Chase banks will provide enough money for 8 weeks pay, healthy benefits and vacation benefits * Vladimir Putin names previously unnamed mountain at the border of Russia and Georgia (near the South Ossetia region) "The Peak of Russian Counterintelligence Agents" (this is obviously the American translation December 12, 2008 * GOP plans to sign nuclear pact with United Arab Emirates * North Korea releases new pictures of Kim Jong Il at farms December 15, 2008 * TARP loophole by Bush Administration limits Executive pay oversight * Obama family will begin a train trip January 17th to the inaugural December 16, 2008 * American kidnap negotiator kidnapped in Mexico after kidnap Seminar * Obama names basketball buddy as Education Secretary December 17, 2008 * Goldman Sachs makes $2.3B, yet only pays 1% in taxes * Greek protesters take over TV broadcast and The Acropolis December 18, 2008 * thousand os residents in NH still without power * crews in Iowa town use garlic salt to melt snow from roads December 19, 2008 * participants in annual sailing race attempt to help fellow competitor; Australian Navy has to rescue him * NASA puts retiring space shuttles on sale for $42 million including shipping * Alaska governor Sarah Palin declines pay raise from commission she appointed December 22, 2008 * Saddleback Church has Orwelled its webtube of all language stating their policy of excluding gays as members * former professional baseball pitcher Dock Ellis died, claimed to have thrown a no-hitter while on LSD December 23, 2008 * UPDATE: Professor Laura Tyson is on the Morgan Stanley board of directors ** Tyson was a guest on Maddow's show to discuss the TARP bailout application * Karl Marx's "Das Kapital" is turned into a Manga comic, finds fans in Japan December 29, 2008 * OSHA did 86% less work during Bush Administration ** director Edwin Foulke was also reportedly caught napping several times while on the jobhttp://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/12/28/AR2008122802124.html?hpid=topnews * nearly 400,000 people running to be next RNC chairperson December 30, 2008 * other Presidents have changed their minds about a pardon too ** PardonPower.com * Library of Congress has archived adds 25 films to National Registryhttp://www.loc.gov/today/pr/2008/08-237.html =2009= January January 5, 2009 * President-elect Obama and his family are living in the Hay-Adams Hotel until January 15, where they will move into Blair House, the official guest house for the United States' President * RNC candidates running for chair debate ** blame Bush for problems ** the event is sponsored by Americans for Tax Reform January 6, 2009 * Russia cuts natural gas supply to Europe through Ukraine * digital TV coupon program runs out of money; now there's a waiting list for converter boxes * Obama family living in hotel until January 15 due to a booking at the Blair House for former Australia PM John Howard January 7, 2009 * Senator Harry Reid believes that because he was a war hero Ted Stevens shouldn't go to jail * Dirk Kempthorne, Interior Secretary, gives speech on ethics, despite his agency's scandals ** Interior Department spokesperson did not contest the Washington Post's report, but corrected the claim that the new towels will be monogrammed; they will not be January 8, 2009 * Illinois house panel votes to impeach Governor Blagojevich * DoJ releases tally of assets seized by the feds ** items to be kept for personal use: *** $120,000 of jewelry *** $134 of porn January 9, 2009 * Obama slipping on campaign pledge to not hire lobbyists ** by hiring William Lynn * Somali pirates release ship they hijacked two months ago January 12, 2009 * first Senate vote by new Congress is on a bill to help protect wilderness ** all the bills were supported popularly, but blocked by Oklahoma Senator tom Coburn, and was called a "Tomnibus" bill in his (dis)honor ** the vote was held on a Sunday (January 11, 2009) * Senator Sanders objects to text next to Bush's officials portrait in the Smithsonian Museum January 13, 2009 * DoJ Inspector General releases report concluding Bradley Schlozman broke law and lied to Congress * Former lawyer for U.S Marshals, Joseph Band, used deputies for sports trips ** Band worked as a statistician for FOX Sports ** at the Justice Department Band was assigned to work on the "ethics team" at the U.S. Marshals service January 14, 2009 * Illinois Governor Blagojevich swears in state Senate that will try him * FSU football star Myron Rolle chose Oxford over NFL after winning Rhodes Scholarship * Republic Windows and Doors employees may return to work after winning severance pay ** Serious Materials, a California company, bought Republic and is working to get the company (and the employees) up and running again January 16, 2009 * Israel allows 10 reporters access to devastated Gaza site * Governor Blagojevich will not go to Washington, D.C. for Obama's inauguration * Hawaii is first state to make transition to digital TV ** analog towers would soon be the nesting sites for the dark-rumped bird January 19, 2009 * HBO fails to broadcast gay Bishop's inauguration prayer * African Iraqis inspired by Obama's election will run for office ** eight men make up the Free Iraqi Movement January 21, 2009 * Obama sworn in for the second time at the White House ** Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts officiated again and in his robe * Thousands of inaugural ticket holders denied, spent cold day frustrated * Virginia businessman's inauguration gift for the disadvantaged called the People's Inaugural Ball January 22, 2009 * Muammar Qaddafi unveils plan for peace between Israel and Palestine ** in one single democratic state called "Isratine" * Former Interior Secretary Dirk Kempthorne provides more humor at departure ** during a farewell ceremony/meeting featuring a slide show of over 600 images of the former Secretary in various locations January 23, 2009 * U.S. drone strikes inside Pakistan kills at least 14, including 5 militants * Obama faces hurdle on new ethics rule with Pentagon pick, William Lynn ** Obama issues ethics waiver to Deputy Defense Secretary * Texas high school girls basketball team loses game 100-0 ** winners ask to forfeit January 26, 2009 * House Judiciary Chairman subpoenas Karl Rove, again * Bernard Madoff's Palm Beach, Florida mansion a target for pranksters January 28, 2009 * U.S. Postal service seeks to stamp out six-day delivery * culinary "Olympics" held in France, two-day marathon of cooking ** Norwegian chef wins top prize January 29, 2009 * Army Judge denies Obama request to suspend Guantanamo hearings * Blair confirmed as Director of National Intelligence; McConnell quit early January 30, 2009 * Feds charge that jailed CIA mole kept spying for Russia, via son * Martin Delaney, advocate for HIV/AIDS patients, dies February February 2, 2009 * Gunmen kidnap top American UN official in Pakistan * Former Klansman David Duke calls new RNC chairman "black racist" * Awkward moments at Secretary of State Clinton's swearing-in ceremony ** Biden fumbles slightly administering the oath ** Secretary Clinton thanks her husband, former President Clinton, for "all kinds of experiences" February 3, 2009 * Iran launches satellite into space * U.S. Women's Badminton team to play Iran in Tehran February 4, 2009 * Iran denies visas to U.S. Women's Badminton team * President & Mrs. Obama hosting Congressional cocktail party February 5, 2009 * audio released of U.S. Airways flight that landed in Hudson River * Kentucky Amish help neighbors without electricity February 6, 2009 * Pat Robertson's legal organization sounds alarm against stimulus * Senator Gregg's pick for Commerce Secretary sparks fight over 2010 Census February 9, 2009 * KBR gets new contract for power plant, despite investigations into electrocution deaths * Representative Pete Hoekstra "twittered" during a Congressional visit to Iraq February 10, 2009 * Prisoners have Constitutional right to healthcare ** court orders California to cut prison population * Obamas plan to have regular cocktail parties at White House February 11, 2009 * Tennessee GOP House Speaker not a Republican anymore ** GOP Chair stripped him of his party membership * Virginia GOP chair twitters costs GOP control of state Senate February 12, 2009 * Congress negotiates a compromise on stimulus bill * NAACP celebrates their centennial 1909-2009 February 13, 2009 * Pakistan officials protest U.S. drone strikes ** Diane Feinstein said they were being flown out of Pakistan bases (using a Washington Post story from March, 2008) * a group of women in India protest religious group attacks ** they call themselves the Consortium of Pub-going, Loose and Forward Women ** they started a Facebook grouphttp://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=49641698651 ** they mock the extremists by wearing pink underwear ** they encourage people to mail giant pink women's underwear to the extremists groups February 16, 2009 * Fed Chair Ben Bernanke's childhood home sold after foreclosure ** purchased by banker in an auction, who will commemorate Bernanke * anti-obscenity crusader GOP Representative Cantor in the news for ... obscene song lyrics ** Cantor sends out web video using racy Aerosmith song February 17, 2009 * private jet outrage spreads to government agency ** DEA spent $123,000 on charter jet to fly chief to Columbia * "Sir" Robert Allen Stanford charged in alleged $8 billion fraud scheme February 18, 2009 * Japanese finance minister resigns after slurring during press conference * Anti-obscenity crusader rep cantor uses video with obscenities ** GOP told to remove video that uses Aerosmith song * high school basketball team shows good sportsmanship February 19, 2009 * Canadians celebrate President Obama's visit; protested President Bush's * Eisenhower Executive Office building has history of fires ** OMB director Peter Orszag used fireplace, triggering the smoke alarm February 20, 2009 * CA passes budget with tax hikes, spending cuts and borrowing ** conditional on changing the CA Constitution to have open primaries * Irish police solve mystery of worst "driver" Prawo Jazdy ** "Prawo Jazdy" are the Polish words for "driver's license," which is what officers were writing on tickets * dueling outlawed in Washington, D.C. by Congress on February 20, 1839 February 24, 2009 * Former President Bush's tour de voice speaking to "replenish coffers" * Secretary of Labor Hilda Solis confirmed over GOP opposition